Golden Thai on Irving Avenue Is the Perfect Place for a Lunch Special or Your First Tinder Date

With a decor rivaling a Norman Rockwell original, Bushwick’s new Golden Thai restaurant is certainly a welcome addition to the neighborhood. With chandeliers made of found objects and dimly-lit LED bulbs, the aesthetic of Golden Thai is perfect for your cousin visiting from out of town or your first Tinder date.

The restaurant opened only a month ago after expanding from its original locations in Queens and Prospect Park. It had a quiet yet undeniably homey feel when I visited for a solo dining experience to enjoy their weekday lunch special. Only blocks from the Halsey L train and the B60 bus line, Golden Thai offers a traditional, yet sizeable, Thai cuisine menu with reasonable prices. As a (self-proclaimed) foodie, and lover of any and all Asian cuisine, I was thrilled to find a new Thai restaurant that offered both ambience and considerable portions.

During the workweek until 3 p.m., Golden Thai offers a lunch special which includes an entree with your choice of protein, along with a soup, salad, or soda for $8.95. I opted for the Drunken Noodle with chicken, a spicy flat-noodle dish mixed with a variety of vegetables, and a Thai Iced Tea. For less than a Chipotle fix (with guac), I had a satisfying meal, including boxed leftovers — a rarity for me, especially during my often carbo-loaded lunch before work.

If you’re like me, and often prefer enjoying your meals from the comfort of your couch while binge-watching the latest season of "Stranger Things" on Netflix, fear not! Golden Thai delivers, and from the varying reviews on our favorite food delivery apps, they do so quickly and efficiently.

Living only a few short blocks from the restaurant, I can say with the utmost certainty that Golden Thai is the new lunch or dinner spot that shouldn’t be missed. Amongst our deeply cherished bodegas, laundromats, and schoolhouses, a burgeoning restaurant with affordable meals and a modern aesthetic, will undoubtedly become the new neighborhood favorite.